You might be wondering why where you plant trees for climate change is so important. After all, aren’t all trees helpful for the environment? The truth is much more complicated and interesting. Recent groundbreaking study from UC Riverside shows that where you plant trees can have a big effect on the climate, either cooling it down a lot or not …
Oh, Calatheas. These beautiful plants are both a joy and a bit of a riddle, and I’ve discovered this in more than 15 years of gardening. I recall the day my Calathea orbifolia decided to protest. Its gorgeous, wide leaves curled inward and looked like they were going to die. My heart fell. I had done all I believed I …
Sowing forget-me-nots is one of the simplest and most satisfying things you can do in the garden. It’s great for novices and a tried-and-true favorite for experienced gardeners. There is no sophisticated or hard-to-find secret to success. It’s just about knowing when and how to do things to get the amazing results you want. It’s a fun way to get …
It’s really easy to take care of forget-me-nots, but the key to success is understanding exactly what type you’re growing and accepting their lively temperament. These pretty blue flowers are known for two things: their beautiful, sky-blue color and the way they take over the garden with vigor. They are both good and bad. I’ll show you how to acquire …
You bought a beautiful Dianthus because you like the way it looked and smelled like cloves. It blossomed its heart out for a month, filling the air with a sweet smell that promised a glorious summer. The flowers were a perfect explosion of magenta or delicate pink. And then there was nothing. The colorful show went away, and even worse, …
When you walk into a garden store, you’ll see a lot of purple. The smell will make you feel tranquil, and the hue will remind you of hillsides bathed in sunlight. But if you examine more closely, you’ll see that not all English Lavenders are the same. The real enchantment is in the small changes in color, shape, and smell. …
To really get to know lavender, you have to go back in time and space to the Mediterranean’s sun-baked hills and rough coasts. A lot of the time, when we say a plant is “from the Mediterranean,” we mean something ambiguous. But this label hides a vast and varied story of lavender. It comes from three different countries—France, Spain, and …
Hello, fellow gardener! You know there’s something unique about lavender if you’ve ever been amazed by a field of it or just loved one plant on your patio. From its famous purple colors to its relaxing, memorable smell, this plant appeals to all of the senses. But to really get the most out of it and see its amazing flowers …
The real reason your surfinias stopped blooming and how to fix it You already know the story. In May, you bring home a beautiful hanging basket of petunias or surfinias. It’s a gorgeous, colorful ball of flowers that falls down. For the first month or two, it’s the most beautiful plant on your balcony, with flowers that never stop coming. …
The Most Important Rule for Hardy Container Gardening That No One Tells You Many gardeners know the subtle irritation that comes with it. You buy a gorgeous perennial, such a lavender, a coneflower, or a hardy salvia, that is labeled as “winter hardy” in your area. You put it in a beautiful pot on your porch and enjoy it all …
The soil is the key to getting sweet, straight carrots. Every gardener has a dream of the ideal harvest. For a lot of people, that image is of taking a perfect carrot out of the ground: long, straight, bright orange, and bursting with sweetness. The carrot is a simple crop, yet it can be very frustrating to grow. We get …
The Golden Rule: It Depends on Where You Live Putting an apple tree in the ground is a leap of faith and a long-term investment. You’re not just planting for this season; you’re planting for the future. Because of this, it’s normal to want to do everything perfectly from the start. The most important question to ask is when is …
Every balcony and container gardener understands this feeling: you buy lovely geraniums (Pelargoniums) with dreams of colorful blooms streaming down, but you end up with a pot of lush green foliage and very few blossoms. You can feel like you’re doing something wrong. But what if the secret to a beautiful flower eruption wasn’t in a pricey, colorful bottle from …
For years, gardeners have put bright marigolds in the corners of their vegetable patches because they know they will help their plants grow. But this little flower is much more than just a gorgeous face. The marigold is one of the best plants for vegetable gardeners since it works hard and is very useful. It protects and supports your crop …
The Autumn Garden’s Hardiest-Working Plant The garden undergoes a subtle change as the long, scorching summer days come to an end. A more subdued beauty emerges when the vivid peak starts to fade. When many other flowers are wrapping up their displays, one plant—the spectacular stonecrop—takes center stage and emerges as the clear winner. Although it is now officially known …